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Hiranyagarbha Suktam Meaning — Line by Line

हिरण्यगर्भ सूक्तम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Hiranyagarbha Suktam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patireka āsīt |
  2. Verse 2. Ya ātmadā baladā yasya viśva upāsate praśiṣaṃ yasya devāḥ |
  3. Verse 3. Yaḥ prāṇato nimiṣato mahitvaika idrājā jagato babhūva |
  4. Verse 4. Yasyeme himavanto mahitvā yasya samudraṃ rasayā sahāhuḥ |
  5. Verse 5. Yena dyaurugrā pṛthivī ca dṛḷhā yena svaḥ stabhitaṃ yena nākaḥ |
  6. Verse 6. Yaṃ krandasī avasā tastabhāne abhyaikṣetāṃ manasā rejamāne |
  7. Verse 7. Āpo ha yadbṛhatīrviśvamāyangarbhaṃ dadhānā janayantīragnim |
  8. Verse 8. Yaścidāpo mahinā paryapaśyaddakṣaṃ dadhānā janayantīryajñam |
  9. Verse 9. Mā no hiṃsījjanitā yaḥ pṛthivyā yo vā divaṃ satyadharmā jajāna |
  10. Verse 10. Prajāpate na tvadetānyanyo viśvā jātāni pari tā babhūva |
Verse 1#

Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patireka āsīt |

हिरण्यगर्भः समवर्तताग्रे भूतस्य जातः पतिरेक आसीत् दाधार पृथिवीं द्यामुतेमां कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥१॥

Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patireka āsīt | sa dādhāra pṛthivīṃ dyāmutemāṃ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||1||

MeaningIn the beginning arose the Golden Womb (Hiranyagarbha); born, He was the one Lord of all that is. He upheld this earth and heaven — to which God shall we offer our worship with oblation?

Verse 2#

Ya ātmadā baladā yasya viśva upāsate praśiṣaṃ yasya devāḥ |

आत्मदा बलदा यस्य विश्व उपासते प्रशिषं यस्य देवाः यस्य छायामृतं यस्य मृत्युः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥२॥

Ya ātmadā baladā yasya viśva upāsate praśiṣaṃ yasya devāḥ | yasya chāyāmṛtaṃ yasya mṛtyuḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||2||

MeaningHe who gives the Self and gives strength, whose command all the world and even the gods obey, whose shadow is immortality and whose shadow is death — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 3#

Yaḥ prāṇato nimiṣato mahitvaika idrājā jagato babhūva |

यः प्राणतो निमिषतो महित्वैक इद्राजा जगतो बभूव ईशे अस्य द्विपदश्चतुष्पदः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥३॥

Yaḥ prāṇato nimiṣato mahitvaika idrājā jagato babhūva | ya īśe asya dvipadaścatuṣpadaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||3||

MeaningHe who by His greatness became the one sole King of the breathing, blinking world, who rules over its two-footed and four-footed creatures — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 4#

Yasyeme himavanto mahitvā yasya samudraṃ rasayā sahāhuḥ |

यस्येमे हिमवन्तो महित्वा यस्य समुद्रं रसया सहाहुः यस्येमाः प्रदिशो यस्य बाहू कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥४॥

Yasyeme himavanto mahitvā yasya samudraṃ rasayā sahāhuḥ | yasyemāḥ pradiśo yasya bāhū kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||4||

MeaningHe whose greatness these snowy mountains proclaim, whose, they say, is the ocean with the cosmic stream, whose are these quarters of space, as His arms — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 5#

Yena dyaurugrā pṛthivī ca dṛḷhā yena svaḥ stabhitaṃ yena nākaḥ |

येन द्यौरुग्रा पृथिवी दृळ्हा येन स्वः स्तभितं येन नाकः यो अन्तरिक्षे रजसो विमानः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥५॥

Yena dyaurugrā pṛthivī ca dṛḷhā yena svaḥ stabhitaṃ yena nākaḥ | yo antarikṣe rajaso vimānaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||5||

MeaningBy whom the mighty heaven and the earth were made firm, by whom the light-realm and the firmament were upheld, who measured out the mid-air's expanse — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 6#

Yaṃ krandasī avasā tastabhāne abhyaikṣetāṃ manasā rejamāne |

यं क्रन्दसी अवसा तस्तभाने अभ्यैक्षेतां मनसा रेजमाने यत्राधि सूर उदितो विभाति कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥६॥

Yaṃ krandasī avasā tastabhāne abhyaikṣetāṃ manasā rejamāne | yatrādhi sūra udito vibhāti kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||6||

MeaningHe to whom the two opposing hosts (heaven and earth), upheld by His help, looked up, trembling in mind, over whom the risen sun shines forth — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 7#

Āpo ha yadbṛhatīrviśvamāyangarbhaṃ dadhānā janayantīragnim |

आपो यद्बृहतीर्विश्वमायन्गर्भं दधाना जनयन्तीरग्निम् ततो देवानां समवर्ततासुरेकः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥७॥

Āpo ha yadbṛhatīrviśvamāyangarbhaṃ dadhānā janayantīragnim | tato devānāṃ samavartatāsureka kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||7||

MeaningWhen the great waters came, bearing the universal embryo and giving birth to Agni, thence arose the one Life-breath of the gods — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 8#

Yaścidāpo mahinā paryapaśyaddakṣaṃ dadhānā janayantīryajñam |

यश्चिदापो महिना पर्यपश्यद्दक्षं दधाना जनयन्तीर्यज्ञम् यो देवेष्वधि देव एक आसीत्कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥८॥

Yaścidāpo mahinā paryapaśyaddakṣaṃ dadhānā janayantīryajñam | yo deveṣvadhi deva eka āsītkasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||8||

MeaningHe who in His might surveyed the waters that bore creative power and gave birth to sacrifice, who was the one God above all gods — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 9#

Mā no hiṃsījjanitā yaḥ pṛthivyā yo vā divaṃ satyadharmā jajāna |

मा नो हिंसीज्जनिता यः पृथिव्या यो वा दिवं सत्यधर्मा जजान यश्चापश्चन्द्रा बृहतीर्जजान कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥९॥

Mā no hiṃsījjanitā yaḥ pṛthivyā yo vā divaṃ satyadharmā jajāna | yaścāpaścandrā bṛhatīrjajāna kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||9||

MeaningMay He not harm us, He who is the begetter of the earth, who, of true ordinances, created the heaven, and who brought forth the great and shining waters — to which God shall we offer our worship?

Verse 10#

Prajāpate na tvadetānyanyo viśvā jātāni pari tā babhūva |

प्रजापते त्वदेतान्यन्यो विश्वा जातानि परि ता बभूव यत्कामास्ते जुहुमस्तन्नो अस्तु वयं स्याम पतयो रयीणाम् ॥१०॥

Prajāpate na tvadetānyanyo viśvā jātāni pari tā babhūva | yatkāmāste juhumastanno astu vayaṃ syāma patayo rayīṇām ||10||

MeaningO Prajapati! None other than You has encompassed all these created things. Whatever we desire as we offer to You, may that be ours; may we become masters of riches.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

हिरण्यगर्भः
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ
The Golden Womb / Golden Embryo — the cosmic seed from which the universe unfolds
समवर्तत अग्रे
samavartata agre
Arose / came into being in the beginning
भूतस्य जातः पतिः एकः आसीत्
bhūtasya jātaḥ patiḥ ekaḥ āsīt
Once born, He alone was the Lord of all that exists (all creation)
स दाधार पृथिवीं द्यां उत इमां
sa dādhāra pṛthivīṃ dyāṃ uta imāṃ
He upheld and sustained this earth and the heaven
कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम
kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema
To which God (Ka — the unknowable Supreme) shall we offer our oblation? (the refrain of each verse)
आत्मदा बलदा
ātmadā baladā
Giver of the Self (life/soul) and giver of strength
यस्य प्रशिषं देवाः उपासते
yasya praśiṣaṃ devāḥ upāsate
Whose command even the gods obey and worship
यस्य छाया अमृतं यस्य मृत्युः
yasya chāyā amṛtaṃ yasya mṛtyuḥ
Whose shadow is immortality, and whose shadow (also) is death
यः प्राणतः निमिषतः
yaḥ prāṇataḥ nimiṣataḥ
He who (rules) over all that breathes and all that blinks (lives)
एक इत् राजा जगतः बभूव
eka it rājā jagataḥ babhūva
Became by His greatness the one sole King of the moving world
द्विपदः चतुष्पदः
dvipadaḥ catuṣpadaḥ
Of the two-footed (humans) and the four-footed (animals)
यस्य इमे हिमवन्तः
yasya ime himavantaḥ
To whom belong these snow-clad mountains (the Himalayas)
यस्य प्रदिशः यस्य बाहू
yasya pradiśaḥ yasya bāhū
Whose are the quarters of space, (they being as) His two arms
येन द्यौः उग्रा पृथिवी च दृळ्हा
yena dyauḥ ugrā pṛthivī ca dṛḷhā
By whom the mighty heaven and the earth were made firm
आपः ह यत् बृहतीः
āpaḥ ha yat bṛhatīḥ
When the great cosmic waters came
गर्भं दधानाः जनयन्तीः अग्निम्
garbhaṃ dadhānāḥ janayantīḥ agnim
Bearing the (golden) embryo and bringing forth Agni (fire/life)
देवानां समवर्तत असुः एकः
devānāṃ samavartata asuḥ ekaḥ
Thence arose the one Life-breath (Asu) of the gods
मा नः हिंसीत् जनिता
mā naḥ hiṃsīt janitā
May the Creator who begot us not harm us
सत्यधर्मा
satyadharmā
He whose laws are true (the upholder of true cosmic order)
प्रजापते
prajāpate
O Prajapati (Lord of all creatures) — the one God is here named
वयं स्याम पतयः रयीणाम्
vayaṃ syāma patayaḥ rayīṇām
May we become masters (possessors) of riches and abundance

Origin & History

Source: Rigveda (Mandala 10, Sukta 121)

Author: Rishi Hiranyagarbha Prajapatya

Period: Vedic period (c. 1500-1000 BCE)

The Hiranyagarbha Suktam appears in the tenth Mandala of the Rigveda and is traditionally ascribed to the seer Hiranyagarbha, son of Prajapati. It is one of the supreme cosmogonic hymns of the Veda: it sings of the Golden Womb that arose before all else and became the sole Lord of creation, the giver of life and strength, the King of all that breathes, the upholder of heaven and earth, the mountains and the seas. Through nine verses the seer repeats the profound question, 'To which God shall we offer our worship?' — for the Creator transcends every name the mind can grasp — and only in the tenth verse is that God named at last as Prajapati. The hymn thus moves from wonder at the manifest cosmos to the recognition of the one God who pervades and surpasses it all.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Hiranyagarbha Suktam?
It is a creation hymn of ten verses from the Rigveda (Mandala 10, Sukta 121) describing Hiranyagarbha, the 'Golden Womb' or cosmic seed that arose in the beginning and became the one Lord of all creation. It is among the most philosophically important hymns of the Veda on the origin of the universe.
What does 'Hiranyagarbha' mean?
Hiranyagarbha means the 'Golden Womb' or 'Golden Embryo' — the luminous cosmic seed from which the whole universe is said to have unfolded. It represents the first manifestation of the Supreme as the source and sustainer of all that exists, later identified with Brahma and Prajapati.
What does the refrain 'Kasmai devaya havisha vidhema' mean?
It means 'To which God shall we offer our worship (oblation)?' Nine of the ten verses end with this question, expressing awe before a Creator so great as to be beyond name. The word 'Ka' (which/who) itself became a name of the Supreme, and the tenth verse finally answers by naming Him Prajapati, the Lord of all creatures.
When and why is the Hiranyagarbha Suktam chanted?
It is chanted in major Vedic rituals, homas and temple consecrations, and in personal practice as a meditation on the one Creator of the universe. The famous tenth verse is recited as a prayer to Prajapati for protection, the fulfilment of one's desires, and prosperity ('may we become masters of riches').

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